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Protesters discuss what the Confederate soldier monument in Graham means to them

Protesters discuss what the Confederate soldier monument in Graham means to them

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Updated: 9:27 AM EDT Aug 22, 2017

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WEBVTT -- SHOULD THESE MONUMENTS STAYOR GO?HERE'S BILL O'NEIL.BILL: PARTICIPANTS FROM BOTHSIDES OF THIS HEATED DEBATE SAYTHAT THE PROTEST NEVER GOT OUTOF HAND SATURDAY NIGHT.THEY SAY THERE WERE SOME HEATEDWORDS, NO VIOLENCE, HOWEVER, ANDONLY ONE PERSON WAS ARRESTED.THE MONUMENT, LOCATED OUTSIDETHE OLD COURTHOUSE IN GRAHAM,WAS DEDICATED BACK IN 1914, SOME50 YEARS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.TODAY WE SPOKE WITH BOTH SIDESIN THIS DEBATE ABOUT WHAT THEMONUMENT MEANS TO THEM.>> IT IS HISTORY, THAT'S ALL ITIS TO ME.JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED --THAT WAS WAY BEFORE MY TIME.>> IT STANDS FOR OPPRESSION,WHITE SUPREMACY.THE FACT THAT PEOPLE OF --NON-PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE HAD ITMUCH EASIER THAN PEOPLE OF COLORHAVE.>> COME DOWN HERE AND PUT AUNION SOLDIER BESIDE.ASK THEM IF THEY CAN PUT A UNIONSOLDIER RIGHT BESIDE.DEDICATED TO BOTH OF THEM.>> PEOPLE TELL US THAT IT ISHISTORY AND LEAVE IT ALONE.YOU CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE WHICHHISTORY MATTERS.WHILE THE CONFEDERATES WERECREATING THEIR HISTORY, THEYWERE ALSO CREATING OUR HISTORY,AND OUR HISTORY IS OPPRESSION.BILL: WHILE THERE WAS NOVIOLENCE OR VANDALISM SATURDAYNIGHT, MERCHANTS HERE IN THESQUARE TELL US WERE AFRAID TOLEAVE THEIR STOREFRONTS ALONE INCASE SOMETHING HAPPENED.

Protesters discuss what the Confederate soldier monument in Graham means to them